Pneumatic scrubbing appliance.



A. E. MOORHEAD. PNEUMATIC SGRUBBING APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, 1910.

Patented May 14, 1912.

IN VENTUR WITNESSES:

A TTORNE Y ALBERT E. MOORHIslAD, OIv SAN FRANCISCO,

ROTARY-VALVE COMPANY, 01? GHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

rnnuirn'rrc scan-name .nrrLIANcE.

Speciflcation'ot Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1912.

Application filed March 22, 1910. Serial No. 550,817.

i To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT E. MOORHEAD, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San-Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Scrubbing Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to apparatus for pneumatically scrubbing and cleansing surfaces, such as floors, and the'object of the invention is to provide an implement of this character by which the floor or other surface can be dried very rapidly after scrubbing.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side view of the apparatus partly in section; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof on a smaller scale.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates a casting, formed with a cylindrical socket 2 adapted to receive a hollow handle 3, such as is commonly used in this class of devices,

said handle being provided with a valve 4 for controlling the passage therethrough. As is common, said handle is'connected by a flexible tube, not here shown, with a conduit leading to a suction tank. Said casting is also formed with a .central'chamber 5 and with two valve chambers 6, 7, connecting with the central chamber by ports 8, 9, extending, in opposite directions, at right angles to said socket and closed by screw caps 10. From the two valve chambers extend respectively two conduits 11, 12. The conduit 11 leads to a chamber 13 formed by the back and face pieces 15, 14, spaced from each other, of a brush 16. In the face piece 14 are secured rubber tubes 17, connected at their inner ends with apertures 18 in said face piece leading to said chamber. The conduit 12 is formed at its end into an elongated mouth 19 having a slot-like opening, around which mouth is secured a wiper 20 of rubber having also a slot-like opening 21 corresponding in length and width with the opening 19.

The axial directions of the brush 16 and of the end of the conduit 12 have the same inclination with the axial direction of the handle of the device, but extend on opposite sides therefrom. The ports'8, 9, are adapted to be automatically closed by ball valves 22, 23. Thus when the brush is resting on the floor, the corresponding ball valve 22 falls away from its valve .seat or port 8, so as to permit the air to flow freely through the port to the hollow handle, while. the other ball valve 23 drops into its valve seat or port 9, and closes the same against the passage of air therethrough.

The following is the operation of the device. Water, either plain or mixed with soap or other cleansing material, is poured upon the floor and is scrubbed by the brush, the valve 4, controlling the passage to the suction device, remaining closed. Upon opening said valve 4, the suction draws the greater part of the water through the rubber tubes 17, but in order to dry the floor, the handle of the device is turned about its axis so that the face of the wiper now lies flat upon the floor, the valves automatically dropping into their proper positions. Because the aperture between the wiper and floor is very narrow, a powerful suction is produced, so

that the air rushing through the aperture quickly and thoroughly dries the floor.

I claim i 1. In a device of the character described, comprising a hollow handle, a hollow casing secured to one end of said handle, con- CALIFOBNIA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN duits leading from said casing, each adapted for communicating with a cleaning tool, and automatic valve mechanism for simultaneously opening communication between one of said conduits and the casing and closing communication between the other conduit and the casing.

2. In a device of the character described, comprising a hollow handle, a hollow casing secured to one end of said handle, diverging conduits leading from said casing and each adapted for communicating with a cleaning tool, said casing being provided with ports opening into each conduit, and gravity controlled valves, one for each port, each valve being adapted for closing its port when the associated conduit is in inoperative position and for opening its port when said conduit is in operative position.

3. In a device of the character described, a hollow handle, a hollow casing secured to said handle, said casing having a central chamber into which said handle opens, and valve chambers at opposite sides of said cen- Q I 1,026,1b4

tral chaimber and opening thereinto by ports, ball vzilves, one 1n each valve chamber, adapted for closing said ports, and diverging conduits secured to said casin each 5 adapted for communication with a c eanin tool, each conduit opening into one of sai valve chambers.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing wltnesses.

ALBERT E. MOORHEAD. Witnesses:

FRANCIS M. WRIGHT, D. B. RICHARDS. 

